Go through a private citizen’s car, without a warrant?
You surely don’t mean that.
Impound lots don’t have any authority to search cars, a casual inspection and listing of visible items is all they’re allowed by law.
So having a cadaver dog or a drug sniffing dog would not be allowed? It would seem that if either dog indicates a problem, that would be probable cause.
“Impound lots don’t have any authority to search cars, a casual inspection and listing of visible items is all they’re allowed by law.”
In California, a police officer can lawfully search an impounded car on a private lot if there is probable cause to believe the vehicle contains evidence of a crime, or an inventory search.
The search must have a reasonable scope. For example, an inventory search may involve listing contents visible in the cabin or trunk, but police cannot open locked containers without specific authorization or a warrant.
So if they run across a dead body, as in this case, they seal it up, and then get a warrant as it is for specific evidence to a crime. But LE can enter the trunk for a search.
wy69